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General News of Thursday, 14 August 2003

Source: GNA

New Liberian leader arrives in Accra

Accra, Aug. 14, GNA - President Moses Blah of Liberia arrived in Accra on Thursday to hold discussions with President John Agyekum Kufuor, chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Mr Blah, who succeeded Former President Charles Taylor as Head of State on Monday, is also expected to meet leaders of the two rebel groups and ECOWAS mediators in formulate a Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Mr Sekou Conneh, Chairman of the main rebel group- Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and Mr Thomas Yaya Nimely, Chairman of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) have arrived for the meeting.

Defence Minister Daniel Chea and Chief Cyril Allan, Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, accompanied the Liberian Leader, who was met at the Kotoka International Airport by the Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama.

Also at the Airport to meet the Liberian Leader were Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence.

Endorsement of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement would climax two months of Peace Talks being facilitated by former Nigerian Leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The Peace Agreement would carve an interim administration for Liberia to take over from Mr Blah next October to manage a transitional process that would span two years.

The interim government would organise general election and ensure the demobilisation, disarmament and re-integration of former combatants. Stakeholders of the comprehensive peace pact include the 18 political parties and a number of civil society groups.